Chicago taxpayers have paid nearly $700 million since 2000 in lawsuits by people who claim police framed them

... Multimillion-dollar payouts come before the Chicago City Council on an almost monthly basis, with the largest sums typically going to victims of police misconduct. Since 2000, the city has paid out nearly $700 million in 300 cases in which people said they were framed by Chicago police.

Of that, $138 million went to outside lawyers who defended the city.

Read more of Andy Grimm's reporting in the Chicago Sun-Times.